The Anatomy of Disgust

Law professor William Miller gives us an absorbing, fascinating treatment of the neglected topic of disgust. Though a law professor, Miller is extraordinarily widely read, and draws on an extensive knowledge of literature, psychology, history, biology, and philosophy (he even has a footnote referring to an extremely disgusting scene in the obscure cult movie Pink Flamingoes). The treatment of disgust is creative, original, sophisticated, and intellectually engaging (Miller also deftly avoids the shock value that would be all too tempting in an analysis of disgust, yet without becoming prudish). The author rightly resists the reductionist treatment of disgust that is all too common in the social and natural sciences, whether it be the Freudian dogma or the latest fad of "evolutionary psychology," yet also steers clear of trendy relativism. This is a genuinely philosophical treatment in the best sense, drawing on all areas of human wisdom and experience. One might quibble with some of his interpretations; he is a bit thin on the moral philosophy section, doesn't do enough with the carnival/rabelais/Bakhtin topic, and presents in my view a caricature of honor cultures (strangely, since that's his primary expertise). But these flaws do not take away from the overall excellence of the work. It is extremely well-written and intelligently presented, though the argument is difficult to summarize. Miller demonstrates the complexity of the disgust reaction; it cannot be reduced to mere biological instinct, but is deeply connected with religion, morality, and politics. This is a challenging work, but well worth the effort; indeed it reminds us just why there is nothing like a good book to stimulate the mind.

I strongly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in sociology, social psychology, social control, and human behavior in general.My only regret after buying this book is that I didn't buy the Kindle edition. Now I will buy the Kindle edition and add my notes to it.Miller hits upon human emotions and their variations while bringing the emotion of "discus" to his central investigation of learned revulsion. His intellectual leanings and academic training give us more than we bargained.I intend to use resources learn from this book on a web site known as "climatedeception.net" to posit one major idea among others. Humanity must instill a sense of discuss in children as it does a sense of disgust for their own fecal and urine matter. This sense of discussed must apply to those who would soil, those who would pollute the commons and wild habitat for profit or any other reason. Anything less and we must expect more Eearth altering behavior by corporate executives, government bureaucrats, and others yet to be identified.

The unique genius of Professor Miller's work lies not in his ability to give new information to the reader. Indeed, most of his observations are instantly recognized by any perceptive reader as being things he or she already knew about the world. The genius of The Anatomy of Disgust, as with his other works, is his ability to recognize fundamental truths that most people never think about at all, or would prefer not to, and to organize these truths into a coherent system by which human behavior can be analyze and understood.I strongly recommend this book!

fabulous introduction to theory of disgust. easy and enjoyable enough to read for fun - but useful for purposes of thinking more about disgust. also great for thinking about why we feel disgust about different things. recommended it to many people and they have always loved it

What disgusts us and why? Disgust brings order and meaning to our lives even as it horrifies and revolts us. Disgust sets cultural and personal boundaries. Imagine aesthetics, contempt, horror and morality without its counterweight, disgust. This is a serious, even slightly pedantic discussion of a defining element of our common humanity. at bookmanreader.blogspot.com . Read more

I got this in August 2012. It's now November 2018. I read it back then and really liked the use of language. I found it inspiring.Prior to reading Miller the only other writer my soul really resonated with was Hunter S Thompson.Miller's view of the world, like Hunter's, is seen through a filter which gives them both a finely tuned ability to observe and record the foul nature of reality.I enjoyed having to look up words fairly regularly in order to maintain an understanding.Good exorcise!

Just a brilliant analysis; engaging, detailed, and profound.

Love

Good

An interesting book, well written, very useful for people studying esthetics. A pity that the author doesn't use more German material...